In 2008, many of the foremost scholars on the life and teachings of Joseph Smith participated in a lecture series that provided fresh, faithful perspectives about the prophet. This book offers in print the transcripts of those lectures, which were published in an audio CD collection titled Joseph Smith’s Prophetic Ministry: A Year-by-Year Look at His Life and Teachings. Each chapter focuses on one year from 1830 to 1844, providing an overview of key events of that year and discussing a key doctrine or historical event tied to that year.The book format allows easy access to the insights in the lectures. Poignant and previously unknown insights into the Prophet’s life and teachings help readers experience the qualities that inspired the early Saints. Each of the contributors is either on the Religious Education faculty at BYU or part of the team working on the landmark Joseph Smith Papers series. Includes introductory chapters on the Prophet’s early years.Other contributors include Ronald Barney, Alexander Baugh, Richard Bennett, Ronald Esplin, Spencer Fluhman, Steven Harper, William Hartley, Andrew Hedges, Robert Millet, Grant Underwood, and Robert Woodford.